OTTAWA, March 19, 2017 /CNW/ - The Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) & Le Mouvement Ontarien des Femmes Immigrantes Francophones (MOFIF) have partnered to create "Telling Our Stories: Immigrant Women's Resilience". The graphic novel which will be launched on Tuesday March 21 in Ottawa, is part of a provincial-wide public education campaign funded by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration to prevent sexual violence in Ontario.

"We decided to use a graphic novel as it's a creative way to tell stories that can introduce new audiences to significant social issues in a visual and engaging way and add to the conversations in our communities to end violence against women," said Debbie Douglas, Executive Director, OCASI.

"Immigrant and refugee women who are survivors of sexual violence have unique barriers in terms of acquiring supports available in their mother tongue," said Fayza Abdallaoui, President, MOFIF. "We hope this bilingual resource will help give women ways to respond to issues they are facing, and to know they are not alone."

The novel features discussion questions for educators and focuses on important themes that:

Challenge perceptions of victim blaming;

Enhance knowledge about consent culture;

Highlight the importance of supporting survivors; and

Respond to workplace sexual harassment.

Ottawa launch details:

Where:

YMCA-YWCA of the National Capital Region

180 Argyle Avenue, Ottawa, ON K2P 1B7

When:

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Who:

Representatives from:

OCASI

MOFIF

CALACS Francophone d'Ottawa

Immigrant Women Services Ottawa

Some of the brave and creative women who were part of the success of: "Telling Our Stories: Immigrant Women's Resilience"